Volcanic chicken discovered in Vandercook Lake metropolitan area

That gooey stuff is not lava. It's the topping on a Volcano Chicken Sandwich, with three kinds of hot pepper flavor, at the Bone Island Grille in Vandercook Lake. Price: $7.29.

Certain words look enticing on a menu.

Among them are "deep-fried" and "buttery" and "volcano."

Any dish with "volcano" in the name is both a warning to the weak and a challenge to the daring (or foolhardy) of serious capsaicin, the only food that can ease arthritis pain, repel animals, and immobilize attackers.

The Volcano Chicken Sandwich is a grilled chicken breast is topped with 1.) either Tabasco or hot sauce (my apologies for not being certain); 2.) hot pepper cheese; and 3.) sliced jalapeño peppers. Grilled onions are thrown on for good measure.

The mixture was not so hot that I had any trouble eating it, which at first seemed disappointing. A greater ordeal was anticipated.

Then something happened to my lips.

"My lips are burning!" I told the friendly server. "Does that always happen?"